Increased Multi-lateral Exchanges

In the course of intensifying bilateral cultural exchanges with other countries, China was also very active to develop multilateral exchanges. Since it sponsored the Seminar on Protecting and Developing Folk Culture and Traditional Dance in the Asian Region in Beijing in 1982, China started to hold growingly more multilateral cultural and art activities, and joined more international and regional cultural and art activities.

By the end of 1992, in addition to the nationwide China Art Festival, China International Folk Art Festival, China Golden Rooster and Full Blossom Film Festival, China Photography Art Festival, and Beijing International Books Exhibition, Chinese provinces and municipalities availed themselves to local cultural competitiveness to sponsor more than 100 culture and art festivals of various scales and forms. They comprised China Xi’an Ancient Culture and Art Festival, China Changchun Film Festival, Tianjin International Sister City Art Festival, Shanghai Art Festival, Shanghai International Television Festival, Shenyang International Yangge Festival, Dalian International Garment Festival, Harbin Snow and Ice Festival, Hebei Wuqiao International Acrobatics Art Festival, Wuhan International Acrobatics Art Festival, Huainan Bean Curd Culture Festival, Guangdong Yangcheng International Guangdong Opera Festival, Xinjiang China Silk Road Turpan Grape Festival.

Many culture and art festivals gradually expanded into large-scale and influential events held at regular intervals, once per year or every two years. They were often closely associated with culture, trade and tourism to create sound social and economic benefits, and forcefully promoted economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries. In recent years, China sponsored a list of international art exchange activities of great influence and high standards, such as 1996 China International Symphony Year, 1997 China International Song and Dance Drama Year, 1998 China International Fines Art Year. They were welcomed by the mass of audiences and literary and art workers.

Many of these multilateral art exchange activities, such as films, televisions, photography, acrobatics, puppets, kites and dragon boats, were fit for concentrated display, appreciation, and competition. Artistic works and players from various countries competed and learned from each other for mutual improvement. As a host country, China held a series of international professional meetings and academic meetings, such as International World Language Congress, Asia-Pacific Library Curator Meeting, Asia Cultural Relics Protection Technology Seminar, International Symposium on Contemporary Chinese Literature, International Academic Symposium on Red Mansions, and International Symposium on Performance Schools of Beijing People’s Art Theatre. In these meetings, Chinese and foreign scholars and experts explored and studied on mutually concerned cultural issues. Since the reform and opening up, China’s culture and art have stepped towards the world. In addition to actively participating in international art competitions held in various countries, China often joins international and regional activities in the fields of music, dance, drama, film, television, publication, cultural relics, library and museums.

Multilateral culture and art exchanges are more extensive and professional than bilateral exchanges. Through multilateral activities, China would enhance understanding and friendship among experts, scholars, artists, and cultural celebrities from different nations and regions, provide opportunities for them to discuss and exchange experiences on their own culture and art and mutually concerned art issues in the world. They are helpful to promote business exchanges and cooperation, and contribute Chinese and foreign cultural exchanges to advance into wider scopes.

Editor: Wen Yi